How to Get Rid of Smelly Feet in 6 Easy Ways

In The Waterboy (1998), Vicki Vallencourt (Fairuza Balk) famously tells Mama Boucher: “Men are supposed to have stinky feet.” It’s easy to start believing that, especially when it comes from a beautiful girl. Newsflash: an Adam Sandler comedy is not a guide to personal hygiene. If you want to know how to get rid of smelly feet, you’ve come to the right place. 

Are the guys in the locker room giving you a hard time every time you remove your socks? Smelly feet aren’t a life-or-death situation, especially since numerous reasons can explain why your feet smell rank – and many of them are one-offs. Maybe the weather was extra warm. Maybe you had to wear plastic clogs that day. However, persistently funky feet can speak of your courtesy for others as well as your grooming habits.

Understanding the causes of cheese feet is the first step to finding a solution. Here's why you may be kicking up a stink.

According to Translational Regenerative Medicine, your palms and soles have the highest sweat gland density in your body. They have 600 to 700 glands per square centimeter. This, coupled with a habit of wearing closed shoes? It’s not exactly a recipe for roses. 

When your feet become damp and dank inside your shoe, they become a breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. This leads to bromodosis, the fancy word for bacteria-caused stinky feet.

Some shoes are worse than others when it comes to foot odor. Footwear made of non-breathable materials can trap moisture and heat or prevent air circulation. Faux leather, vinyl, plastic, and rubber will put you on a fast track to smelly feet.

You should also check the interior. Shoes lined with cotton (a non-moisture-wicking material) or no lining at all can spell trouble. Look for canvas, mesh, leather, EVA foam, or other breathable materials.

The no-socks look is still debatable, but for the love of fresh air: Please. Wear. Without socks, your sweat just lingers on your feet and shoes (worse if you’re wearing non-breathable footwear).

It’s the same story for other types of body odor. Sometimes, you smell like what you eat. Do you love onion rings and hot wings? What about curry rice? Compounds from these foods can be excreted through sweat, giving you a funky odor all the way down to your feet.

Foot odor-causing medical issues are unlikely, but don’t rule them out. Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweat), fungal infections, and diabetes are some of the conditions that could be exacerbating your stinky feet.

Not all girls are as accepting as Vicki Valencourt, and whether the foul odor bothers you or not, stinky feet are just plain gross, dude. You don’t need a complicated regimen to keep your feet smelling decent. Basic hygiene is usually enough.

Bathing or showering is a fundamental aspect of proper hygiene. Make sure not to neglect your feet, though. Brush away the scum between your toes!

Washing your feet removes any dirt and debris that builds up. It also removes dead skin cells that could trap sweat, oil, or grime.

An antibacterial soap can also help ward off those odor-causing specimens. Use Lifebuoy Antibacterial Body Wash with Multivitamins+ Total 10. It’s formulated with vitamins B3, C, and E, making it 50x more effective in fighting off germs and boosting your skin’s immunity.

Bar man? It also comes in a 100g bar version.

Again, this shouldn’t need reminding. You should dry your feet every time they get wet – whether it’s after showering, post-swimming, or when you feel they’re extra sweaty within the day. Putting moist feet in shoes will make your feet and shoes a breeding ground for bacteria! You’ll be harboring cesspools of Kyetococcus sedentarius – the microbes responsible for stinky feet. 

Socks absorb sweat, preventing it from building up and beckoning bacteria over. It also stops perspiration from seeping into your footwear, which can make matters worse.

It’s important to know that socks can’t promise zero foot odor, but they do help. And fortunately for the stinky-footed, many socks are now equipped with antibacterial or antimicrobial technology. Just make sure to launder them properly and change them regularly.

It’s good to have shoes in rotation. Allowing yesterday’s Sambas to dry before you use them again prevents moisture buildup. If you need a new excuse to buy sneakers, this is it.

Sometimes, drying your shoes isn’t enough. You may want to clean your footwear regularly. Brush the insoles, scrub the lining, and wash the laces. Again, this is all to avoid moisture and dirt buildup that could potentially create an environment for stench-causing bacteria.

Make sure your shoes are completely dry before you wear them again. If you haven’t realized by now: Moisture is bad for the feet. Stuff wet shoes with newspaper to make them dry faster.

If you’re at this point in the article and you’re still battling smelly feet, then you may need special reinforcements. Some of the things you can use to combat sweat and odor are: 

• Foot powder or spray: If you don’t have either, you can also use deodorant or antiperspirant.  
• Shoe deodorizers: Available in balls, pouches, pods, and powders, these tools absorb smell. 
• Antibacterial wipes: Manage sweaty feet right away. Sanitize your feet and shoes with antibacterial wipes throughout the day. Again, make sure your feet are dry before you put on your footwear.

Now you know how to get rid of smelly feet. If you find these steps too complicated, don't forget that when it comes to avoiding odor, dry is best. Also, remember Adam Sandler movies are great for a Saturday night, but maybe not for foot hygiene.